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Monthly Archives: January 2014

Comic-book publisher inks a deal with BBC Worldwide for titles featuring three Doctors.

Titan Comics now wields the power of the sonic screwdriver.

Announced Tuesday, the British comic-book publisher inked a deal with BBC Worldwide to publish the new Doctor Who comics starting this year.

IDW previously held the license and has been releasing Who titles in recent years as the British cult sci-fi show has found increased popularity on American shores.

Creative teams have yet to be announced but new comics will be released this year featuring the 10th Doctor (played on TV by David Tennant), the 11th Doctor (Matt Smith) and the upcoming 12th Doctor (Peter Capaldi), who will become a fixture in the Titan lineup after the next season launches on BBC America later in 2014.

Production on new episodes is underway now in Europe with Capaldi and Jenna Coleman as the Doctor’s companion, Clara Oswald.

UK fans, don’t forget that voting for the National Television Awards closes at midday tomorrow – and we have nominations for ‪#‎DoctorWho‬ in the Drama category and for Mr Matt Smith in the Drama Performance category. Geronimo!Find out more and vote here: www.nationaltvawards.com

We still have six months before this year’s San Diego Comic-Con but the time lord in me is always looking to the future and beyond!

Sniffing around the San Diego Convention Center’s website we found that the 2015 SDCC was not listed on it’s post of upcoming events but there was a glaring two week hole in its schedule where SDCC should fit in.

Looking at the schedule, the next show in the building is the ESRI event which starts on Monday the 20th but looking at their schedule of events over a couple of years it seems that ESRI is open the full weekend before allowing people to register for their badges as well as a couple of pre-show conferences before they kick into full gear. This weekend is also probably used to set up their floors and booths so it’s a safe bet that the 18th & 19th is also booked up since it’s impossible for both shows to use the same space at the same time.

Another possibility is the first week of July but to be honest that is the Fourth of July weekend and the odds of them running the event on the same weekend as a national holiday are slim. As far as bookings go there is a slot big enough for not only the con but also the time it takes to build all of the booths and prepare the floor but this doesn’t fit too good from an event planner’s point of view. San Diego doesn’t go all out for the Fourth of July but combining SDCC with that runs the risk of stretching out the city’s resources too thin for comfort, and in the eyes of public safety that’s a big no no.

Based off of this evidence I would have to assume that it is safe to say that the 2015 San Diego Comic-Con will be July 9th through the 12th (my birthday FYI) with Preview Night on the 8th.

“With Hank Pym’s rich history in the Marvel Universe, we knew we needed an actor capable of bringing the weight and stature to the role that the character deserves,” said Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige. “We felt incredibly relieved when Michael Douglas agreed to step into the part with the charm and fortitude he brings to every character he inhabits, and couldn’t be more excited to see what he will do to bring Hank Pym to life.”

The legendary actor, who earned an Academy Award in the category of Best Actor in a Leading Role for his iconic portrayal of Gordon Gecko in “Wall Street,” has also starred in numerous modern classics including “Basic Instinct,” “Fatal Attraction,” “The Game,” “Wonder Boys,” “Traffic” and many more. In addition to acting, Douglas has also served as Producer and Executive Producer on a number of films including “Romancing the Stone,” John Carpenter’s “Starman” and “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” for which he also won an Academy Award for Best Picture. Most recently, Douglas earned a Golden Globe and his first Primetime Emmy Award for his role as legendary entertainer Liberace in the HBO original film “Behind the Candelabra.”

Douglas will star as Hank Pym, who first appeared in TALES TO ASTONISH #27 (Jan. 1962), with Rudd starring as Scott Lang in the film.

Comic-Con International has posted its first registration update for 2014, with important details on badge pricing and purchase policy for pre-registration.

First, the pricing, and one thing that stands out to us is the absence of any multi-day passes being offered, confirmed on the page with the following update:

New for 2014! Only single day badges will be sold. The Preview Night badge option may only be purchased only if you buy a Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday badge. Preview Night is not a stand alone badge option. As in 2013, anyone who purchases a Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday badge will have the option of consolidating them into one 4-Day badge onsite.

Preview Night access had been previously available as part of a limited paring with multi-day badges, and per the update above they still will be, in theory, as long as attendees are lucky to purchase all four individual days first. It’s like Pokemon – gotta catch ‘em all!

The other thing that’s interesting is that Preview Night is more expensive than a Sunday badge. That makes us raise an eyebrow because Preview Night is generally absent of any panels and just has the exhibit floor access and Ballroom 20 pilot screenings, where Sunday is a full day (9:30AM – 5PM) of panels and floor access. We’ve reached out to CCI to see if Preview Night offerings or hours of operation will be expanded in 2014, but did not receive a response at the time this post went live.

Badge Pricing for SDCC 2014

The other change is the prices have increased slightly, from $42 to $45 Thursday through Saturday (+ $3), and $24 to $30 on Sunday (+$6).

[UPDATE 1] And there seems to be some misinformation regarding the increase in cost for Preview Night. Last year, a 4-day with Preview Night badge cost $175, a premium of $25 over the standard 4-day badge. So with CCI charging $35 for Preview Night this year, that’s only a $10 increase from last year’s cost.

[UPDATE 2] CCI has provided a registration update via its Toucan blog, explaining the new checkout process and how it will work with Preview Night:

For those who want to attend the entire show, simply check the Preview Night box, and all other badges (Thursday through Sunday) will be automatically checked for you. Just one click to get your 4-day with Preview Night option! However, if you do not want to attend Preview Night, you can select the days you wish to attend as individual items. Keep in mind that you may not purchase Preview Night as a stand alone option. If any one of the four single day badges are sold out (Thursday, Friday, Saturday, or Sunday), the Preview Night checkbox will not be available for purchase.

Here’s a screenshot of what the process will look like:

Simply click the box by ‘Preview Night’ to get all four day badges and PN!

For those who were worried about the process being more complicated than in previous years, there’s no need to worry — your purchase will only be one click, and you’ll only have one badge to pick up during the convention’s on-site registration!

In their update, CCI also explained a bit about why this change from four-day badge packages to single badges was made:

The decision to move from a 4-Day badge option to single day badge options was to give each attendee more flexibility when purchasing. Since we no longer offer a discount for purchasing all four days, the 4-Day option was repetitive and often lead to people purchasing a 4-Day badge despite not needing to attend every day. We hope this change will allow attendees to purchase only the days they truly need and maximize the number of people who can get a badge to attend Comic-Con.

This means that it’s easier than ever to get exactly the badges you want, and potentially to open up some space for attendees who might have otherwise been shut out. During the badge resale last year (which was only accessible through a lottery system), Thursday and Sunday badges took much longer to sell out. This new system, especially if implemented during the general sale, could mean that those badges go to hopeful newcomers.

Next, regarding the policy changes for pre-registration (what is that? Check out our FAQ), buyers will be able to buy badges for two additional individuals who qualify for pre-registration (i.e., attended last year) in addition to the badge for themselves (so three total), granted those individuals have all signed up for Member IDs, and the person purchasing the badges has the Member IDs and last names of everyone they are purchasing for.

If there’s one thing we’ve learned over the years, it’s that it is never too early to plan for San Diego Comic-Con. SDCCBlog pointed out a release from Sony that shares some SDCC tidbits in regards to fan favorite “Ghostbusters.” This year marks the 30th Anniversary and Sony plans to make the most of it, including a partnership with Gallery 1988 to “create a traveling art show that will feature top artists’ interpretations of Ghostbusters over the last 30 years.” What does this have to do with San Diego? The final stop of the tour will take place at San Diego Comic-Con. It shouldn’t be a surprise since prints and posters have really taken off over the past few years. If you remember last year there was a “Big Bang Theory” gallery set up at the WB Booth.

Here’s the full release:

Sony Pictures is getting ready for the 30th anniversary of Ghostbusters next year by lining up a raft of licensees for apparel, toys, collectibles and publishing. The all-new program will target the classic film’s core fan base with products and events.

Licensees signed on to support the anniversary include Mattel, IDW Publishing, World Tech Toys, Quantum Mechanics, Factory Entertainment, Diamond Select and Medicom Toys, Mad Engine, Titan Figures, Uniqlo, Kaientai, BCI, Funko and Underground Toys. Additionally, gaming partners such as Beeline, Ubisoft, GSN, Path, XMG and IGT will create interactive, gaming and slot machines items, and MDI is planning a series of state lottery programs.

Sony has also partnered with the pop culture art gallery Gallery 1988 to create a traveling art show that will feature top artists’ interpretations of Ghostbusters over the last 30 years. Limited edition screen prints and posters will be available during each stop of the tour, which will conclude in July at Comic-Con International in San Diego, Calif., in July.

“This franchise is very important to the studio, and we wanted to give fans new and exciting ways to participate,” says Greg Economos, senior vice president, global consumer products, Sony Pictures Entertainment. “Ghostbusters continues to gain fans and recognition year after year, and we are thrilled to extend the brand through products and events to celebrate this milestone event.”

I’d expect to see other exclusives as well during Comic-Con. Maybe a new set from Mattel? A new Funko or two? How about some new Minimates? What “Ghostbusters” exclusives do you hope to see? Any certain artists you hope take part in the gallery?

Comic-Con International features one of the most diverse guest lists of any convention. The first wave of guests for 2014 includes creators from mainstream and alternative comics, graphic novels, comic strips, animation, and science fiction and fantasy books. Confirmed for Comic-Con International 2014 are these special guests: